Fastener attaching machine



Jan. 23, 1934.

I L. N. HAYDEN FAS TENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l 0 4 Ik f f6 Gl v I 3'/ afs n- 0 /5 'a4 f O 6 E.

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uffi/fg@ Jan. 23, 1934. N, HAYDEN FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 23, 1934. L, N HAYDEN FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I @enfon- LeseaqNH Jan- 23, 1934. N. HAYl-:N

FASTENR ATTACHING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 y Jan. 23, 1934.

L. N. HAYDEN FSTENER ATTACHIANG MACHINE Filed June 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,n l/////w//// kiv QN Patented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Lester N. Hayden, Arlington, Mass., assigner to United-Carr Fastener Corporation,A Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 4, 1932*. serial No. 615,349V

1l Claims.

' My invention aims to provide improvements inv fastener-attaching machines.

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper. porof Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2, showing oner position of the fastenerholding and setting mechanisms;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the same line as Fig. 4, but vshowing the relation of the parts of the setting mechanisms at the end of the setting operation Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 'l is a section showing the manner of setting the fastener parts to the carrying medium Fig. 8 is a section of the lower setting mech- ,g5-. anism and associated parts taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 9 is a section similar to that shown in Fig, 8, but showing a slightly different type of lower jaw and anvil structure.

My invention as illustratedV by the annexed socket or stud member.

My invention is particularly directed to the'fastener holding and setting mechanism, the mechanism for feeding the fastener members from chutes to the upper and lower jaws and the means for corelating the operation of the various parts of the mechanism. Therefore, I have shown only the upper portion of the machine since the lower portion is merely in the form of a base housing the mechanism for driving the connecting rod 1 (Fig. 2) which in turn is connected to the main rocker arm 2.

Any suitable driving mechanism leaves the jaws.

tion of my device is such that the punch opens the upper jaws instead of the jaws being opened by the fastener ashas been the practice heretofore. I have also provided an improved mechanism to assure proper timing between the feeding mechanism and the setting mechanism. Other improvements in connection with the upper and lower jaws and the means for operation thereof, together with the feeding mechanism, will be more fully hereinafter described.

The upper setting mechanism, together withA its associated parts, will now be described. This: mechanism includes a hopper 3 of any suitable construction adapted to deliver fastener members toa chuteV 4 having its lower end terminating in the side of a track 5 (Fig. 3) opposite which is located a pivoted centering finger 6 having a notch 7. This pivoted Afinger 6 is normally pressed toward the end of the chute 4 by means of a leaf spring 7a. A fastener member (in this instance an attaching cap) enters the track 5 from the chute 4 and is moved forward to the upper jawsy 8--8 (Fig. 4) by means of a slide member operating in the track 5. The slide member 9 is reciprocated away from the jaws 8--8 by means of a cam lever 10 which in turn is operated by a cam roll 11 (Fig. 1) attached to the rocker arm 2. The jaw members 8--8 are moved ltoward and away from the lower jaw members 12-12 (Figs. 4 and 5) by a connecting rod 13 having its upper end secured to one end of the rocker arm 2. A punch or setting die 14 is secured to the lower end of the connecting rod 13 and is adapted to move relative to the jaw members 8 8 in a manner hereinafter described. The jaws 8 8 are pivotally arranged in a holder 15 slidablel relative to the head 16 of the machine and are normally pressed toward each other by springs 1'7-17 (Figs. 4 and 5). This holdingmember 15 is held in engagement with the die member 14 by a spring-pressed ball 18 normally engaging in a detent 19,-asbest illustrated in Fig. 6. Eachjaw member 8 has aY tongue 8 (Fig. 4) fitting into a groove 8b and a spring 17 presses directly upon the tongue 8a. The holder 15 is open at the back and the grooves 8b extend to the back face (Fig. 6) thereby permitting the tongues 8a to be slid into place very readily. Thus, the jaws 8-8 are secured in pivoted position on the rounded edges 8c of the holder 15 (Figs. 4 and 5) without the use of pins, bolts or other separate elements.

The lower jaws 12-12 are pivoted adjacent to the end of a` track 20 supported upon the lower part of the head and have their ends resting and'lower jaw members.

upon a washer 2l (Figs. 2, 4 and 7) surrounding a fixed lower die 22 and normally pressed upwardly by a spring 21a. The other part of the fastener device (in this case a socket) is delivered from a hopper 23 to a chute 24 and centered by a pivoted device 25 and moved to the jaws 12-12 by a slide 26 operated by a ca'm lever 27, as best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.I This cam lever 27 is operated by a cam roll 28 attached to the rocker arm 2 in the same manner as described in connection with the similar mechanism described above in connection with the upper jaw members 8 8. Since both delivery mechanisms are substantially identical, it is unnecessary to describe them both in detail.

The lower jaws 12 12 are connected to the track 20 by a pin 12a which provides a pivot. Furthermore, each lower jaw is movable independently of the other both downwardly and laterally so that they may move downwardly during the attaching operation and may spread when the fastener part is displaced from the grooves 12 12D (Fig. 8) to the anvil 22, as shown in Fig. 7. A spring 12c (Fig. 8) is attached to the y under side of each jaw member 12 and normally urges them toward each other to retaina fastener part in the grooves 12b until the nal part of the setting operation.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assuming that a socket member has moved down the chute 24 to the track 20 where it is properly positioned by the member 25, it will be delivered to the jaws12 12 in a position above the die member 22 by the slide 26. When a fastener has been delivered the parts will be in the positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and the operation of the mechanism can best be'described from that point. As the push rod 1 is moved upwardly the rocker arm 2 will be moved about its pivot 29, therebymoving the cam roll 28 in an upward direction. The cam roll actuates the cam lever about its pivot 30 so that the lower end of the lever moves rearwardly thereby carrying the slide member 26 to av position shown in Fig. 8. During the return operation of the-slide member 26 the connecting rod 13 is moved downwardly and the jaw-carrying member 15 moves downwardly in the head 16 from the shoulder 31 against the shoulder 32, as shown in Fig. 5. During this movement the relation of' the Ajaw-carrying member 15 to the die member Y14 is as shown in Fig. 6. As the connecting rod 13 continues its downward movement the ball 18 is forced out of the detent and the die member 14 is thereafter moved l relative to the die-holding member 15 until the spring-pressed ball 18 snaps into the lower detent 33 (Fig. 6). Duringl this latter part of the operation when the die member 14 moves relative to the jaws 8 8 theA tapered portion 34 (Figs. 4 and 5) contacts with the tapered walls 35-35 provided on the jaws 8 8 thereby forcing them apart to release theV attaching member which by this time has contacted with the carrying medium (Fig. 7) placed between .the upper `After the attaching member has been released from between the jaws 8 8 a further downward movement of the die member 14 forces the attachingmember; carrying medium and the fastener presented by the L jaws 12 12 and also those jaws into contact with the lower die member 22 where suitable attaching means is upset between the die members to attach the fastener elements on opposite sides of the carrying medium, as best illustrated in Fig. 7, the fastener parts and carrying medium being shown in dotted lines. As the cycle of operation is completed the connecting rod 1 moves downwardly and a spring 36 (Fig. 2) pulls the cam lever 27 forwardly, thereby moving another fastener member into proper position between the jaws 12 12. During this operation another spring is moving thecam lever 10 forwardly to feed an attaching part into position between the jaws 8 8. At the same time the connecting rod 13 moves upwardly and thereby pulls the jaw-carrying member 15 away from the shoulder 32 upwardly until it contacts with the shoulder 31. Thereafter upon further upward movement of the connecting rod 13 the die member 14 moves relative to the jaws 8 8 and the ball 18 is released from the detent 33 and again snaps into the detent 19. The jaws are then returned to their normal positions by the pressure of the springs 17-17 so that they may receive the attaching member.

All of the movement of the parts is automatic and in proper timed relation so that the fastener parts areV fed to their respective holding jaws only when the jaws are in alignment with their respective tracks. The springs which act upon the cam levers 10 and 27 are so arranged that they move the slides 9 and 26 toward the jaw members. The cam rolls move the slides in the opposite direction. By this arrangement no parts can break if the fastener parts become jammed, since the springs may yield and permit continuation of the operation of the parts of the machine. Furthermore, the jaws 8 8 and 12-12 are open at the front side of the machine (Figure 1) so that a fastener part which for any reason is not attached duringthe attaching operation will be pushed out of place by the next fastener part when the jaws are again in position to receive the fastener part or parts.

The track 5 has a notch 37 in its end adjacent 'to the jaws 8 8 (Fig. 3) so that a fastener extending only part way into the jaws may pass the track without creating damage during the downward movement of the jaws.

The lower jaw structure shown in Fig. 9 is the same as that shown in Fig. 8, and described above, with the exception of the die member 40 and the manner of arranging the jaws 41-41. This mechanism is for use with a type of fastener which cannot be engaged over a centering tip on the die, as shown in Fig. 7, and therefore it is desirable to feed the fastener to a position close to the end of the die 40. This eliminates the substantial movement of the jaws relative to the die as is necessary in the structure shown in the other figures of the drawings. Therefore, each jaw 41 is secured to the end of the track 42 by a screw 43 and is held in its normal position by a spring 44 surrounding the screw 43. This arrangement permits slight downward movement of the jaws relative to the die 40 so that the fastener member may set against the die during'the setting operation. A spring 45 is engaged with each jaw at its under side for the same purposeY as the spring l2c in the structure shown in Fig. 8.

My improved machine is substantially foolproof, it is simple in construction and operation and is compact. It is particularly accurate in operation and attaches the fastener elements quickly and accurately with a minimum of failure.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wiSh to be limited thereby, because the scope of my invention is best dened by the following claims.

I claim: f

- 1. A machine for attaching snap fastener parts toa carrying medium comprising, in combination, a lower setting mechanism and an upper setting mechanism, the carrying medium being adapted to rest upon the lower setting mechanism, said upper setting mechanism comprising a pair of opposed jaw members arranged to move away from each other to release a fastener member froml between said jaw members, jaw-holding means, a support for said jaw-holding means, said support having a shoulder spaced above said lower setting means at a 4distance permitting said jaws to move into approximate contact with a carrying medium when supported by said lower setting means and a setting member movable relative to said jaw members after the jaw-supporting means has engaged said limiting shoulder thereby to release'the fastener part from between said jaws and set it against said carrying medium.

2. A machine for attaching snap fastener parts to a carrying medium comprising, in combination, a lower setting mechanism and an upper setting mechanism, the carrying medium being adapted to rest upon the lower setting mechanism, said upper setting mechanism comprising a pair of opposed jaw members arranged to move away from each other to release a fastener member from between said jaw members, jaw-holding means, a support for said jaw-holding means, said support having a shoulder spaced above said lower setting means at a distance permitting said jaws to move into approximate contact with a carrying medium when supported by said lower setting means and a setting member movable rel'- ative to said jaw members after the jaw-supporting means has engaged said limiting shoulder thereby to release .the fastener part from between said jaws and set it against said carrying medium, and self-acting detent means connecting said jaw-holding member to said upper setting mechanism whereby said upper setting mechanism and jaw-holding member move downwardly relative to said support as a unit, said self-acting detent means being operable to release said upper setting mechanism for movement relative to the jawholding member after said jaw-holding member has engaged said limiting shoulder.

3. A machine for attaching snap fastener parts to a carrying medium comprising, in combination, a lower setting mechanism and an upper setting mechanism, the carrying medium being adapted to rest upon the lower setting mechanism, said upper setting mechanism comprising a pair of opposed jaw members arranged to move away from each other to release a fastener member from between said jaw members, jaw-holding means, a support for said jaw-holding means, said support having a shoulder spaced above said lower setting means at a distance permitting said jaws to move into approximate contact with a carrying medium when supported by said lower set- I ting means, a setting member movable relative to said jaw members after the jaw-supporting means has engaged said limiting shoulder thereby to release the fastener part from between said jaws and set it against said carrying medium,

lself-acting detent means connecting said jawmechanism for movement relative to the jawholding member after said jaw-holding member.

has engaged said limiting shoulder, and tapering surfaces provided on the setting member and the jaw members which engage diu'ing the latter part ofthe movement of the setting member thereby to spread the jaw members and release the fastener part therefrom.

4. In a machine for attaching snap fastener parts to a carrying medium, a setting mechanism comprising, in combination, a movable jaw-holding member, a pair of jaw members each of which is rockably mounted in the jaw-holding member by means of a tongue and groove arrangement, and -a die member movable relative to saidv jaw members and having means adapted to engage cooperating means on the jaw members whereby said jaw members may be moved about their points of engagement with said jaw-holding mem.- ber to release a fastener part from between said jaw members.

5. In a machine for attaching snap fastener partsto a carrying medium, a setting mechanism comprising, in combination, a movable jaw-holding member, a pair of jaw members each of which is rockably mounted in the jaw-holding member by means of a tongue and groove arrangement, a die .member movable relative to said jaw members and having means adapted to engage cooperating means on the jaw members whereby said jaw members may be moved about their points of engagement with said jaw-holding member to release a fastener part from between said jaw members, and spring means carried by the jaw-holding member and pressing 1 against the tongues of said jaw members thereby normally pressing the jaw members toward each other.

6. In a machine for attaching snap fastener parts to a carrying medium, a setting mechanism comprising, in combination, a track device, a pair of independently operable jaw members pivoted to one end of said track in alignment therewith and arranged to form a continuation of said track and to move in parallel planes relative to each other, a die member associated with said jaw members, said jaw members being adapted to hold a fastener member above one end of said die member, and a spring means normally pressing said jaw members upwardly with relation to said die member and another spring normally pressing said jaw members toward each other.

7. In a machine for attaching snap fastener parts to a carrying medium, a setting mechanism comprising, in combination, a track device, a pair of independently operable jaw members pivoted to one end of said track in alignment therewith and arranged to form a continuation of said track and to move in parallel planes relative to each other, a die member associated with said jaw members, said jaw members being adapted to hold a fastener member above one end of said die member, and a spring means normally pressing said jaw members upwardly with relation to said die member and another spring normally pressing said jaw members toward each other, the ends of said jaw members being spaced apart laterally thereby to permit ejection of a fastener part from said jaws when not attached to a carrying medium.

8. A machine for attaching snap fastener parts to a carrying medium comprising, in combination, a lower setting mechanism and an upper setting mechanism, means operable to reciprocate said upper setting mechanism, a track nism.

through which fastener parts are moved one at a time to said upper settingY mechanism, a slide member associated with said track for moving said fastener parts to said upper setting mechanism, a cam lever connected to said slide member, a. spring operable to move said cam leverin one direction whereby said slide member may be moved in a fastener-feeding direction, and a cam roll carried by said means for reciprocating the upper setting mechanism and cooperating with said cam lever to actuate it in a return direotion against the action of said spring and a similar and independent fastener member feeding track and associated mechanism for feeding fastener members to the lower setting mechanism.

9. A machine for attaching snap fastener parts to' a carrying medium comprising, in combination, a lower setting mechanism and an upper setting mechanism, means operable to reciprocate one setting mechanism toward the other, a track having one end terminating adjacent to the movable setting mechanism, means for feeding fastener members along said track to said setting mechanism, and said track having a notch in its end adjacent to said setting mechanism tofpermit passage of a fastener member downwardly even When the fastener member is not properly positioned in said setting mecha- 10. A `machine for attaching snap fastener parts to a carrying medium comprising, in combination, a lower setting mechanism, and an upper` setting mechanism, means operable to reciprocate one setting mechanism toward the other, a track having one end terminating adjacent to the movable setting mechanism, means for feeding fastener members along said track to said setting mechanism and said track having a notch in its end adjacent to said setting mechanism to permit passage of a fastener member downwardly even ,when the fastener member is not properly positioned in said setting mechanism, and said setting mechanism including a pair of opposed spring-pressed jaws having fastener-receiving grooves into which a fastener may be pushed from said track, and said grooves being open at the opposite side of thevjaws from that side which faces the end of the track whereby a fastener may be ejected from said jaws by another fastener providing the fastener is returned to a position opposite the end of the track after once having been moved toward the other setting mechanism.

ll. A fastener-attaching machine for securing snap fastener parts to opposite sides of a carrying medium comprising, in combination, a lower setting mechanism and an upper setting mechanism, meansioperable to reciprocate one of said mechanisms toward the other, a pair of fastener member holding jaws provided by said reciprocable setting mechanism, means for moving said jaws toward the other mechanism to a point `spaced therefrom substantially the thickness of Vthe carrying medium and a die member provided as a part of said movable setting mechanism and adapted to be moved relative to said jaws to set the fastener part against the carrying medium only after said fastener part has moved to a position substantially against the carrying medium and a detent device provided as a part of the reciprocable setting mechanism and operable to regulate the movement between said jaws and said die member.

LESTER N. HAYDEN. 

